Combination table and chair



May 15, 1962 c. A. RASSIER COMBINATION TABLE AND CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 11, 1959 C. A. RASSIER COMBINATION TABLE AND CHAIR May 15, 1962 Filed Sept. 11, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTO/ CeC/Y Arf/wr Rass/er M mg ,4 TTOE/VEYS May 15, 1962 c. A. RASSIER COMBINATION TABLE AND CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 11, 1959 /N \/E N TOE ce// Ar f/u/r Kass/6P B) I A 770E/VE Y5 United States Patent 3,034,827 COMBINATION TABLE AND CHAIR Cecil Arthur Rassier, Erith, Kent, England, assignor to D. Sahel 8: Company Limited, Erith, Kent, England, a British company Filed Sept. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 839,450 Claims priority, application Great Britain Sept. 16, 1958 3 Claims. (Cl. 297-170) The present invention relates to a combined folding table and chair assembly. An object of the present invention is to provide a folding table and chair assembly which when folded lies substantially flat and in which the chair and table remain connectedtogether both in the open position and in the folded position.

According to the present invention a folding table and chair assembly comprises two pairs of legs connected together at their upper ends .on each side of the table and to the table top, the connection being such as to permit pivotal movement between the two pairs of legs and be tween the table top and the legs, and at least one chair seat pivotally connected to one of the pairs of legs so that it can be supported in the horizontal position and can be moved from the horizontal position to lie substantially flat along or between the said one pair of legs.

The connection between the pairs of legs and the table top is conveniently provided with locking means so that the pairs of legs can be locked in the closed or in the open position and at the same time the table top is locked in relation to the legs.

The chair seat is conveniently pivoted to or between a pair of legs at its front edge and is supported in its horizontal or open position by a strut which is pivoted also to or between the pair of legs at its lower end and is provided with means whereby it can be locked or engaged with the rear end of the seat when the latter is in the horizontal position.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a childs combined nursery chair and desk according to the invention, the chair and desk being shown in the open position;

'FIGURE 2 is an end elevation viewed from the left hand side of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the chair and desk in the folded position.

As shown in the drawings, the combined chair and desk comprises a table top 3, front legs 2, rear legs 1 and a seat 8 assembled in the manner hereinafter described. The chair and desk is intended for the use of only one child and for this reason the legs 1 which may be of tubular steel are longer than the legs 2 which are likewise made in tubular steel. At the upper end the two pairs of legs are connected to the table top 3 by means of a threaded bolt 13 secured to and extending outwardly from each side of the table top 3. This bolt 13 carries on its inner end a serrated clamping member 16 which coacts with a similar clamping member 6 secured to the top end of each leg 1, the member 6 being apertured to receive the bolt 13 so that the legs 1 can be applied to their respective bolt 13. The upper ends of the legs 2 are also apertured to receive the bolt 13 and a wing nut 14 engages on each bolt 13 to lock the two clamping members '6 and 16 together and to lock the legs 2 against the outside of the clamping member 6. A suitable stop 17 is provided on the outer face of the clamping member 6 against which the leg 2 abuts in the open position.

The legs 1 are formed by a U-shaped tubular member and the centre portion of the base of the U is turned in to provide a pair of upwardly directed portions 18 and a horizontal portion 19. Pivoted to the horizontal portion 19 is a seat 8 which may be of any suitable con- 3,034,827 Patented May 15, 19 62 struction and as shown consists of wooden slats spanning between a pair of side members 5. The side members 5 are each provided with an elongated slot 20 which has at its rear end an upturned portion 21. Riding in this slot is a short horizontal portion 22 of a back rest and strut member 9. The member 9 is of inverted U-shape and the lower end of each leg of the inverted U is pivoted at 23 in the corresponding upright portion 18 and the upper closed end of the member 9 is bent rearwardly as shown in FIG. 1 to form a back rest. As shown in FIGURE 1 the seat is in the open position and the portions 22 of the member 9 lie in the upturned end portion 21 of. the respective slots 20. The front end of the seat 8 is pivoted by means of a bracket 10 to the horizontal portion 19. Conveniently a slot 24 (FIG. 2) is formed in the bracket 10 and co-operates with .a screw 25 engaged in the horizontal portion 19 to limit the pivoting movement of the seat, the length of the slot being made such as to permit the seat to move from a position where it is folded flat with the legs 1 (FIG. 3) to a position where it is open in the seat position as shown in FIGURE 1.

When the chair desk assembly is to be folded the seat 8 is lifted at its rear end so as to allow the portions 22 of the member 9 to enter into the horizontal section of the respective slots 20. The seat is then allowed to pivot down to a position lying fiat with the legs 1. This allows the member 9 also to be folded forwardly to lie within the legs. The wing nuts 14 are slackened and the two pairs of legs closed together and the table top folded to lie in line with the legs as shown in FIGURE 3.

If it is desired for a seat to be provided on each side of the table then the legs 1 and 2 are made of equal length so that the legs 2 project beyond the edge of the table in a manner similar to the legs 1 so allowing a seat to be positioned between the legs 2 in the same manner as between the legs 1 as above described.

If desired the seat 8 can be made to span between the legs so as to provide room for two sitters or if desired two separate seats may be pivotally mounted to the legs either on one side or on both sides of the table.

The table top which as shown in the drawings consists of a metal pressing which can be used on both sides may be of any other suitable construction and may be finished with any desired finish on one or both faces. For example, when the assembly is to be used as a childrens nursery chair desk one side of the table top may be blackened for use as a blackboard.

Whilst in the embodiment shown the seat is supported by upturned portions of the U-shaped metal tubular member forming the legs 1 the seat or seats may be supported in any other suitable manner within the scope of the invention so as to permit them to pivot from a position lying fiat along the legs to a horizontal position to act as a sitting surface. Similarly if desired no back rest need be provided in which case the member 9 will terminate at the height of the slots 29 in the side members 5 and conveniently can be in the form of an inverted U member the base of the U spanning between the slots in the respective side members 5.

The folding chair and desk assembly can be used conveniently as a folding picnic table and provide a seatingsurface for one, two, four or more people as desired.

What I claim is:

l. A foldable combination table and chair assembly comprising a first U-shaped member, a second generally U-shaped member, upstanding leg portions to said first and second members, means pivotally connecting together the said upstanding leg portions at their upper ends, a table top extending between the said leg portions, means pivotally supporting the table top on the connected upper ends of the leg portions, a seat extending between the leg portions of said second member,

releasable meanscarried by said second member for supporting the seat in a position extending horizontally from said second member, and the base of the said second U-shaped member being. turned in to provide a pair of upwardly directed portions spaced from the leg portions and a horizontal portion upon which the front end of the seat is pivoted 2. A foldable combination table and chair assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the seat supporting means comprises a slot extending lengthwise of each side of 10 the seat, a strut member at each side of the seat and slidin'gly engaging in the respective slot and means pivoting the strut member to a respective one of said upwardly directed portions.

3. A foldable combination table and chair assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which there is provided an inverted U' shaped member the legsof which constitute the said strut members and the closed end of which extends upwardly from the seat when in the horizontal position to provide a back rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 334,313 Walkeret a1. Jan. 12, 1886 816,258 Sheldon Mar. 27, 1906 986,131 Braasch Mar. 7, 1911 1,371,624 Jardine Mar. 15, 1 921 2,410,088 Lundquist Oct. 29, 1946 2,586,097 Scheu Feb. 19, 1952 2,661,049 Sebel Dec. 1, 1953 2,837,141 Shore June 3, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 166,286 Austria July 10, 1950 

